Written Answers Wednesday 12 July 2006

Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body

Access for People with Disabilities

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what steps it is taking to review the provision of facilities in the Parliament complex for people with disabilities and their carers.

Duncan McNeil: The SPCB is committed to providing accessible facilities for disabled people and their carers, and has taken a number of steps to enable the equal participation of disabled people and their carers in the Parliament including accessing the tours and other major events, the installation of adult changing benches and the provision of special receptacles in the accessible toilets located in the public foyer and garden lobby. We continue to monitor and improve upon our accessibility and as part of this we are currently investigating the feasibility of installing a hoist into one of the "megaloos".

  As part of a wider initiative to implement the new Disability Equality Duty which will come into force on 5 December 2006, we have established a Disability Equality Delivery Group, whose membership includes representatives of the disability networks with a remit to review our current performance on disability issues, including access, and recommend ways forward to improve disability equality.

  Should the member have any specific concerns, she is more than welcome to discuss this in more detail with the SPCB’s equalities manager.

Education Services

Maureen Macmillan (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what the terms are of the review of the Parliament’s education service referred to in the recently published report on visitor services and events.

Duncan McNeil: It is our intention to consider how the current education and outreach service can be further developed to meet the SPCB’s strategic priorities around supporting members and engaging the public.

  Naturally all services have to evolve and the move to Holyrood, and the recent reviews in visitor services and events, have presented some new opportunities which we wish to explore.

  Further detail on the remit and scope of the review will be planned in the next two to three months.

Education Services

Maureen Macmillan (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what consultation has been carried out with MSPs, their staff and constituents regarding the review of the Parliament’s education service.

Duncan McNeil: As noted in my response to question S2W-27172 on 12 July 2006, the remit and scope for the review of education and outreach will be considered in the next two to three months. The methodology will be planned to take into account the views of members, their staff and schools/other educational establishments.

  Members may of course direct comments and views to the Head of Public Affairs at any time over this period to inform the review.

Outreach Services

Chris Ballance (South of Scotland) (Green): To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body on how many occasions since June 2003 a request for a public outreach event has had to be refused because the relevant constituency MSP has been unable to find a space in their diary and whether it will list those constituencies concerned.

Duncan McNeil: The majority of Outreach Services Team events are held in response to approaches from local community groups and associations who request a presentation on the Scottish Parliament and how their community can successfully engage with the Parliament. These events involve SPCB staff only.

  Approximately eighteen Community Outreach Events are held each year, between a broader range of local groups offering the opportunity to meet with the local MSPs, as well as learn about the Parliament. There are no records of an event of this type being refused because of diary commitments of the relevant constituency MSP.